Tom Price

Opioid use disorder is not generation specific. Young people and mature adults alike have been touched by the American opioid addiction epidemic, with upwards of 2 million Americans in the grip of opioid addiction, nearly 100 overdose deaths and scores of overdose reversals every day. The scourge is dire to say the least, and yet many Americans do not have access to addiction treatment. This is not just a trend with addiction, the clear majority of people living with any form of mental illness never get the help they need for several reasons.

A shortage of treatment facilities. Long waits to get into the extant programs. Insurance companies are reluctant to cover the length of stay in treatment considered to be the most effective. The list could easily be added to, but finding solutions is what we should be focused on.

Curbing the Opioid Addiction Epidemic

In recent years, the public has demanded that lawmakers address this most serious issue. To which they responded with passing the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) last year, authorizing the U.S. Attorneys General to award grants for addressing the opioid epidemic. One of the bill’s many facets includes channeling millions of dollars for the expansion of addiction treatment services.

The important piece of legislation was followed by another bill’s passing, the 21st Century Cures Act which authorized over $1 billion for health innovation. Wrapped up in the bill, among other things, were provisions to strengthen mental health parity regulation and increase funding for expanding access to addiction treatment.

The White House is providing $485 million in grant money for states to be used for addiction treatment and prevention, keeping promises made last year with the passing of the Cures Act, the Associated Press reports. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price made the announcement at a drug prevention summit in Atlanta on Wednesday, and said that another half-billion dollars in state grants will be meted out next year. An HHS news release, states:

“Funding will support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients. States and territories were awarded funds based on rates of overdose deaths and unmet need for opioid addiction treatment.”

In addition to expanding access to treatment in the states hardest hit by the epidemic, the funds can be used for:

Training Health Professionals

New technology and Support for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)

Promote and Expanding Access to Naloxone

Secretary Tom Price would like to go back to the beginning, to the root of the American opioid addiction epidemic to find ways to curb the crisis, according to the article. He acknowledges that physicians have had a hand in the problem the country faces. Price is going to review items like payments and prescribing guidelines, to make sure, “that we are not pushing doctors toward quick fixes that risk lives.”

“There is no question that this overreach helped create the problem we have today, and that ending this epidemic requires going back to its roots.”

Addiction Treatment

The best prospect that people struggling with opioid addiction have at recovery is enlisting the help of an addiction treatment center. After detoxification, long-term residential treatment gives people the tools to live a fulfilling life in recovery. If you are battling with and opioid use disorder, please contact Synergy Group Services. We utilize the benefits of traditional counseling in conjunction alternative medicine to achieve a synergistic outcome.